Childhood Lost

Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).

Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.

Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism

(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)

"What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless."

John Stone,

UK media editor, Age of Autism

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"The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country."

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

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Winnsboro, LA: 9 yr old student with autism handcuffed by police at school

Updated: May 27, 2019

Mar 7, 2019, WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN: Child with autism handcuffed to chair at elementary school in Louisiana https://www.wishtv.com/national/autistic-child-handcuffed-to-chair-at-elementary-school-in-louisiana/1833207535
Winnsboro, La. (KARD/KTVE)- A 9-year-old special needs student named Zykayden was handcuffed to a chair at Winnsboro Elementary School.
His mother, Shrena Henderson, was heading to Monroe when she got the call to come pick him up.
"I noticed he was in the classroom by himself four adults surrounding him and he doesn't have on shoes and he is foaming on the mouth," said Henderson.
It was the end result of an episode, Zykayden says, started after he didn't want to do his math work.
"I had started throwing stuff and writing on a table then they called the principal and the principal called the police," said Z. Henderson.
It's something his mother said never should have happened.
"You handcuff my kid to a chair," said an upset Henderson who wants her questions answered. "What was logical about that?"
WISH-TV's sister station reached out to the principal at Winnsboro Elementary School, he directed us to the Franklin Parish School Superintendent Lanny Johnson. When the station called to his office, they were told he was out sick for the day. While filming video of the school, a police officer said the school called and requested the station leave the property.
According to the school's documents, Zykayden tried to headbutt and hit teachers.
At that point, Winnsboro Police Chief Willie Pierce said his officer took the appropriate actions, despite the department not having a policy for handling special needs students.
"If we stand back and watch that child continue to do what he is doing, someone is going to get injured.
We are here to prevent anyone from being injured him being placed in handcuffs did not hurt that child," said Pierce.
Henderson said her child is traumatized and accommodations should be made for kids with disabilities. …